COD 1: Session 21: Murder Mystery 4

 Pre-scene Notes

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Scene setup/conflict: 

Malbe had finished her testimony and the party was about to address last piece of opened clue

Interrupted scene: Introduce a new NPC: Dominate a burden. I guess the new NPC will be the werewolf Malbe fought, and dominate a burden… the burden is the werewolf’s curse and to dominate it, we have the Round Jewel… So basically I had it go the way I’d thought it would go.

Scene:

After Malbe’s testimony, Kevolo was still confused about one thing. He asked, “But what about that rake? We’d thought that rake was used to emulate the claw marks on Malfie’s body, but are you actually saying Malfie was killed by the werewolf? If so, where did that  bloodied rake come from?”

“Remember how the rake was found though,” Filli said solemnly. “Hudri got a ‘spell scroll’ from the Captain to find that rake in Skorno’s tent. The Skornos did not know how it turned up and it was just out in the open, so it was very much a set up. Not to mention the Captain throwing them in lockup, it’s very likely the Skornos will be taken away by the supply convoy when they arrive if no more evidences are found.”

“Hey hey, what are you saying Filli? Are you saying this is all the Captain’s doing?” Kevolo asked.

“Makes sense,” Malbe bit her nails. “My identity is compromised from my fight with the werewolf last week. No outpost captain wants any sort of spy in their camp. Not to mention I may find out his werewolf secret, framing me and taking me away is the best course of action.

“Why did the Captain kill Malfie though? Just because he found out he’s a werewolf?” Kevolo asked.

“Like a spy, I wont think he wants a werewolf in his outpost either. It was just two birds with one stone, especially if the spy said she fought a werewolf before, everyone will think Malfie was the werewolf in question.” Zar explained. “The question is, if the Captain was a werewolf, why did he get caught out by Malbe last week? How had he hidden it so far?”

“Because the ritual only worked last week.” The party all swung around and Captain Wychfrost and Hudri were standing at the door. Wychfrost went on, “It was only when I found out about Malfie’s monthly outings that I followed one night, and got some of his fur to help finish the ritual. If he’d only shown himself earlier, there would be no need for poor Hudri to tighten the purse strings.”

“What about last week? Why did you show yourself to me?” Malbe asked. 

“The ritual, spells, modifications - it all needed time for me adapt. Let’s just say using werewolf hair as a medium had its side effects. That night of the full moon, my new-found powers kind of, just got out of hand." Wychfrost shrugged, ”And to think a werewolf and a church spy. I really wasn’t doing my outpost captain job very well. No matter, I was never born to be stuck guarding supply lines. That’s why I needed more power! Power to take revenge on those who sent me out here to this backwater!”

Wychfrost took the Round Jewel from his pocket, obviously having took it from a dead Nirya that was just lying behind them in the break room.

“It was the Round Jewel he was after the night he killed Malfie,” Filli deducted. “He knew Nirya was going to trade it back to Malfie, so he ambushed him outside. It just so happened Malfie was tricked and never had the jewel.”

“Yes, and now I have the thing that can control when I have access to my power!” Wychfrost laughed maniacally. “I would definitely be promoted if I was able to capture a church spy and kill a werewolf! It is just a shame they had been working together and massacred the whole outpost before I put an end to them!”

With that, the Round Jewel in Wychfrost’s grasp shone a bright purple light. Wychfrost grew in stature and muscles, standing close to ten feet tall after his transformation to a snarling werewolf touching the guard house ceiling. Hudri stared in awe and screamed, “Captain! Please give me power! Turn me into a werewolf as well! Heal my eye!”

“Sure,” Wychfrost turned around in what could only be guessed as a grin with his muzzle, and bit down hard on Hudri’s neck. The old man screamed, and screamed, and then whimpered. Finally, Hudri’s body fell silently to the floor. Wychfrost did not even address his betrayal and turned back to Malbe. “Now that I am accustomed to the power, it is time for you to die!”

Wychfrost’s roar vibrated around the guard house, an aura of bloodlust washed over everyone and they all fell to the ground. This was what a werewolf’s menacing aura could do, and the invisible pressure rendered even Malbe powerless.

“The Jade of Silver!” Malbe shouted, and Yankovic immediate took it out and crumpled it in his hand. A wisp of silver floated out of the jade, but the Werewolf roared at the sight, dispersing it before it could be breathed in by the others part from Yankovic, Filli and Zar. 

In the end, it was up to the travellers to defeat the Werewolf.

Fido is a Steel Defender, so I’ll just have Filli start with him mounting it

Filli shot out his last poison sling at the Werewolf, but his speed was much more than any of them could image. Filli did his best to mush Fido forward, using its Force-Empowered Rend to try and knock the Werewolf out from the doorway, but the Werewolf caught the attack at the palm of its paw without taking even a step back. 

Yankovic screamed and with maximum effort shoved the werewolf. The Weird Elf having greater strength than Fido was successful in pushing the Werewolf back, allowing Zar to slip through. His eyes glowed green in a flash, now accustomed to cursing his enemies before striking them with his longsword. A green searing slash made the Werewolf scream out as Zar and Yankovic flanked the Werewolf. 

In retaliation, the Werewolf slashed at Zar, which he took unflinchingly. An eerie green smoke emitted off where the slash was and it healed itself as if with False Life, and only a thin scratch remained. 

Filli now having more space to manoeuvre, drew out a blue spell circle in front of him again with the small tinker’s hammer, this time he drew out a flask of acid that his Alchemy Jar had been filling through the past days, and Catapulted the flask with arcane magic right at the Werewolf. Unable to dodge between Zar and Yankovic, he screamed as the corrosive acid burned his face. On one knee, Zar slashed again and Yankovic called forth his ethereal Spiritual Weapon along with his warhammer, bringing the Werewolf down with both. 

It was a relatively easy fight despite Kobold Fight Club saying otherwise. Hopefully not like the last crab battle where I neared KO’ed my whole party, I’m upping the ante now that the Captain’s only at 2HP. As a werewolf can turn into an actual wolf, I used Guardian Wolf as it’s a CR higher. 

The Werewolf howled and repelled both Zar and Yankovic back. “You think after the ritual I am just a normal werewolf? Let me show you my true power!”

Just as Filli was going to attack, the Werewolf pounded his chest and got hairier and bigger. His shadow grew to the point he was going to hit the guard house’s roof, driving him to get on all fours. He bashed everyone out the way to crash out through the window. Landing in the graveyard, the half humanoid now fully transformed to a giant wolf with a purple tainted aura emitting from it.

The party chased it out of the guard house to meet it in renewed combat at the entrance. Its boosted size was not the only thing that improved with its transformation, as it dodged deftly past Filli’s Catapulted acid and bite down hard to shatter Fido’s armoured body with sharp yellow teeth. Weird Elf willed his Spiritual Weapon to follow as quick as possible while he and Zar teamed up again to strike the giant wolf.

Seeing his attack was not as effective as his melee allies for now, Filli vowed to make further improvements to Fido, and cast Heroism on Zar before disengaging himself out of the Werewolf’s reach.  Fido in their mounted retreat can be seen already Repairing itself in an arcane blue glow where its armour had been pierced by the bite. Zar, also drew upon the Fiendish Vigour within him to replenish the health he previously lost. 

Weird Elf struck again with his warhammer, but the giant wolf just caught it in his jaws with defiance. What it did not anticipate was the Spiritual Weapon finally reaching the battle and smashed it about the face. Zar took the opportunity to sear it again with his blade and curses. 

Unable to match the party, the big wolf in its last ditch attempt jumped on Yankovic and he was knocked prone. Seeing Yankovic down, Filli immediate rode into range again, displaying at least Fido’s mobility was more than up to scratch as he flung a Firebolt, followed by Fido’s Empowered Rend, knocking the giant wolf back away from Yankovic. This was not before the wolf took a desperate bite attack at Fido, both fracturing its body armour again and knocking it over. Filli was able to somersault backward off his mount and hid behind it as cover against further onslaught. However, the wolf made a swipe with its claws and Fido was again dismantled and out of the battle.

As his creature fell before him with a robotic whimper, Filli rose up behind it and shot a Firebolt in the wolf’s face, finishing it off.

It was sad to see the Steel Defender go down again that easily… But the fight itself was actually pretty one sided despite the second form… I’d thought about a 3rd form, but there are no other bigger wolves in the official bestiary. I could’ve used an Underground Cerberus, but I think that was far too much with a CR6. I called it quits here, however, I do not think this warrants a level up.

The Aftermath

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The party watched the flames as Fiorn Wychfrost’s unnatural body burned with Hudri’s and Nirya’s. It was already late afternoon the next day before they were able to make a pyre large enough to fit all the bodies, and everyone was more than cautious to ensure they burned well through. 

The Skornos had left through the night after they were freed from the werewolf’s presence. After all, a discovered spy should never be fixed in one location, much less stay at a military installation. 

Alorin had left as well, this incident showing very clearly he an awful guardsman, and not just because of a drinking problem. He was going to venture into the city to see if he could hold down a job that would be less likely to get him killed.

Considering only Kevolo and Zimala were left, one of them had to take the temporary captain role for the outpost. Zimala surrendered the role gladly for Kevolo to give Alorin his discharge papers. That was because Kevolo next set of papers to sign were transfers for Zimala and Soke. Zimala had finally convinced Soke that it would be more convenient for a girl not of age yet to have a guardian than go without. Soke grudgingly agreed, and Zimala resigned to try her best efforts to become her adoptive mother. She thought it would not do Soke well to stay in the camp where her uncle had died, so she  requesting for them to be stationed at another outpost. 

It would be another day before the supply escort was expected to arrive, and then they would know of the whole fiasco. Zimala and Soke would then leave with them, leaving Kevolo to become the official new Captain of the Greehand Outpost. He would have to wait here until a new batch of recruits were sent his way, whenever that was, him seeing this as a mostly empty promotion. 

Watching the fire burning to its last ashes, Kevolo, Zimala, and Soke thanked the party for their investigation. If it were not for them, it was not certain they would ever find Malfie’s  true murderer, or the Wychfrost’s schemes at all. Even Soke, when Zar wanted to return the Round Jewel to her, said her thanks and said they could keep it as reward for avenging Malfie. That was what her orc uncle would have liked. 

The party bid their farewells and headed back out the path they came a few days ago into the woods. Very soon a white mist surrounded them and they came out of the Cave of Dream’s entrance. The Round Jewel was still with them, which could only mean they had completed the mission to some level of success, despite most of the Greenhand Outpost having either died or left.

The party found out in real time, it was early evening of the same day they had originally entered the Cave. The Governor had indeed kept up on handing out artefacts most of the day to try and have adventurers come back with memories restoring items, but none showed so far, and he was called away to coordinate repairs at the Docks. 

The party decided they would call it a day and retired to the Cliff’s Edge, not having any memory loss curing items themselves from this Dive. Seeing Soke, the party just nominated Zar to speak with her and order their dinner. Yankovic had to pray and Filli was going to continue upgrading his Steel Defender.

Zar walked up to Soke and asked, “Hi. Er, we’re just back from the Cave. Would like some dinner.”

“Fine, but you’re taking it down to your pals. Don’t expect me to run after you like your mother!” Soke shouted something back to the kitchens.

“As rude as ever,” Zar shook his head. “Listen, I know what happens in the Cave doesn’t mean reality, but were you ever stationed at a Greenhand Outpost when you were an army cook?”

Soke’s stopped what she was doing and went to stand in front of Zar at the bar. “I was there, but not as a cook. What happened to you three there then?”

“We had to solve a murder case. The culprit was the captain of the outpost, who had initially wanted more power from Asu, but then managed to turn himself into a werewolf by murdering the actual werewolf at the camp.” 

Soke just laughed and Zar was a bit relieved their Cave dive might not have been consistent with the ‘true’ Soke’s history, “There’s never been any werewolves at the Greenhand Outpost. If there had been, it would’ve torn that place to shreds with the weaklings that were there.”

“That’s good to hear, I guess. Did you even have an uncle named Malfie?” Zar asked. 

Soke sobered quickly, “Maybe the Cave did use my history as a backdrop. Yes, my parent’s friend did take care of me for a while. Unfortunately, he passed away during the war.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, did Zamala ever become your adoptive mother?” Zar blurted out with the uncomfortable pause.

“Who the heck is Zamala?” Soke genuinely seemed like she did not know who that was.

“Just a character in our last Cave dive I guess,” Zar scratched his head but remembered something. He pulled out the Round Jewel and asked, “This was… I guess your uncle’s?”

Soke’s  face did not give anything away and she stated simply, “Yes, he did seem to have something like that.”

“Um… do you, you know, want it back?” Zar held the jewel out to her, “Here.”

Soke just stared at it for a while without reaching for it. At this point, a kitchen help put down on the bar in front of them the party’s dinner. A big pot of steaming hot goulash and a basket of bread. 

“What the hell dinner do you call this? We are a respectable establishment and our meals needs to maintain a certain standard, even if it’s for the likes of adventurers!” Soke shouted back into the kitchen without warning. She then swiped the Round Jewel from Zar and gave him a sack of gold coins. “Here! This is compensation for such a ludicrous pot of what my kitchen calls dinner. I’m going to skin them a new one one of these days.”

Zar felt there could be up to 300GP in the pouch, but just shook his head at the headstrong tavern owner. “Very well, I’ll accept for Yankovic and Filli. Thanks anyway.”

“Now get back down to the cellar like your other two lot,” Soke waved the air in front of Zar as if swatting a fly, then turned around and pretended to be organising a lower cabinet of mugs. 

Zar took his coins and the delicious smelling dinner with the help of his Mage Hand, and said before he left, “You know, in our Cave dive, no one had a bad word to say about Malfie. He seemed like a great guy.”

“Off with you!” Soke shouted without looking back round.

Zar just smiled and told his allies he was able to sell the Round Jewel as they had dinner. 

Scene close-out:

• Chaos factor resets to 5. 
• - party thread: Finished Malfie’s Murder Mystery.

Post-scene Notes

That was the first multi-day Cave dive but I guess if there’re longer campaigns, I have to make sure it relates to the main story threads in some way. For the past 5 scenes, basically the main threads haven’t progressed. So everything to do with the Docks attack, Arrington’s memory lost, Zar and all the PCs’ backgrounds, were not progressed. 

I guess if I had more time, I would have given young Soke more screen time to flesh out a core NPC from Cavesmuth, but I didn’t play out her scenes much. If I were a GM, I guess this would be a good way to have mini-campaigns if there were players that were unavailable for a month, or the players wanted a break from the main Cavesmuth story. I’ll never run out of NPCs in Cavesmuth, so this was good to flesh them out for players too. 

It also gave opportunities to reintroduce Kevolo or Zamala in future cave dives, maybe with a time skip, for a bit more interesting favour. I’m operating on the Cave being a doorway to parallel universes as well, so maybe it’ll be hard to keep track of which version of Soke pops up, but I feel like that’s more interesting than troublesome, giving more options as a GM. 

Saying all that, I’m hoping to make the Cave dive next session more combat focused. Far too much RP for not having any story progress.